“It’s so great to see a shadow cabinet looking so healthy and strong.”

Labour HQ relocated from Victoria Street to Brewer’s Green shortly before the local elections, and Suu Kyi’s visit marks the official opening of the new offices. Last year, she also sent a video message to the Labour Party conference.

“Ed Miliband has hailed Aung San Suu Kyi as “the most famous opposition leader in the world” as the Burmese pro-democracy campaigner opened Labour’s new London headquarters.

“On the latest leg of her lengthy tour of the UK, she unveiled a plaque at the office building before joining the Shadow Cabinet for its weekly meeting.

“In the end it is people who are most important, not buildings,” she told the assembled staff.

“Although this is a beautiful building and I would not mind taking it back to Burma with me.”

Ed Miliband was reported to have said at the event:

“As the main party of opposition in Britain, hoping to be the government, I can think of no better person than the most famous leader of the opposition in the world, if I may say so – and the most distinguished, and the most courageous and the most brave – to open our offices.

“We have admired from afar, and we have supported your struggles over the past many years. We have seen the courage you have shown, we have seen the fortitude that you have displayed and we are absolutely with you in the fight for … the transition to a full democracy.”

“Ms Suu Kyi said it was particularly poignant for her to meet the party as it was a Labour prime minister – Clement Attlee – whom her father met in London in 1947 to seal an agreement for Burmese independence.”

Today’s session with the Labour Party must be quite different from yesterday, when Suu Kyi spent the day in the prime minister’s constituency, a move that was criticised by many charities and organisations who felt the PM was hijacking the trip and reducing Suu Kyi’s time with them.